


A Place in Lakeshire

by Mice



Series: Sea Change [20]
Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: A little angst, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Romance, Shaw reevaluates his life, stabby boys being domestic, the crew of the Bold Arva - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:07:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27915001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mice/pseuds/Mice
Summary: After Flynn sets some things in motion, he and Mathias go to check out the 'cabin' that Anduin gave them in the Redridge Mountains. They have a quiet weekend. Mathias talks about Pathonia and his past.
Relationships: Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw
Series: Sea Change [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1875685
Comments: 72
Kudos: 67





	1. Loose Ends

Flynn leaned his elbow on the table as he sat in the captain's cabin on the _Windlore,_ Henry Storm and Sonya Miller sitting around it with him. They all had mugs, and there was a pitcher of ale between them as they talked, piles of documents and contracts scattered over the broad surface.

"We've been keeping up on Farley Deepsounder, like you asked," Sonya said. "I finally had the chance to send one of my crew into Freehold last week to talk to Venrik. He said Deepsounder's just financed a new ship he's named the _Bloodstain_ and he's got word out looking to form a new crew. Some of the old Irontide are shipping on with him, and some of the other Irontide crews are looking to join up and recreate the fleet."

Henry nodded. "It's bad news. Freehold's less welcoming to the Irontide than it used to be since Ashvane went down and Sweete was killed, but they're still recruiting there. Seems like they've been looking for another home port, now, though."

"Any hints as to where?" Flynn asked.

Henry leaned back in her chair and put her feet up on the table, arms folded behind her head. "Nothing any of us has heard."

"Nope," Sonya said. "And the remaining Irontide aren't talking to Venrik since Sweete died. They know he tried to help you and they don't trust him. Most of what he gets is secondhand from other crews at this point. He's lucky nobody's stuck a dagger in him."

"I hope he'll be all right," Flynn said. "I'm grateful for what he did, but he's no fighter. He stuck his neck out for me and I'm worried that it's going to end up costing him.

"Any of us would have done the same." Henry lifted her mug and took a swig.

Flynn nodded. "Aye, but you lot can all hold your own in a fight. He's just a tavernkeep. Couldn't swing a cutlass properly to save his own life, much less anyone else's."

Sonya said, "He chose to try to help you, Flynn. He knew what could happen and he did it anyway."

"The Irontide's got a long memory," Flynn reminded her. "I'd been away for years, and somebody went running to Sweete, knowing he still wanted to see me dead."

"They don't know all of us," Henry reassured him. "We can still have eyes on them without you being anywhere near."

Flynn sighed. "I know, I know. I'm still going to worry about Venrik, though. And I really need to report some of this to Cyrus and Jaina. They're going to want to know. Were there any rumors about who fronted the money for Deepsounder?"

Sonya and Henry both shook their heads. "No," Henry said, "but I know we all suspect it was Evon Ashvane. The Baron's still got money, despite what happened with Priscilla, and he's got a taste for blood now. We can't show a direct link, but we're working on it."

"We had that contract with Evon Ashvane's signature on it," Flynn said. "We can place Deepsounder on the ship that was moving the arms. It only makes sense." He sighed. "But it's not proof." He finished his ale. "Well, stay on it, anyway. I need to go and kick this up the ladder." Flynn stood and patted Sonya on the shoulder. "Tides keep you when you head out tomorrow."

"Thanks, Flynn. We should be back in Boralus in about three weeks."

*** 

Mathias looked up from the piles of reports on the kitchen table when Flynn got home. He'd been in Boralus for the day, which usually put him in a good mood, but tonight his shoulders were tense and he looked tired. Mathias rose to hug him. "How was the day?"

Flynn put his arms around him and held on for several minutes before he let go, saying nothing at first. "Long," he finally murmured, shrugging out of his greatcoat and hanging it on its hook by the door.

"What happened?" Mathias put some coffee on for him as Flynn kicked off his boots.

Flynn sighed and came over to join him in the kitchen. "Not really so much that anything happened. I guess I just have a lot on my mind right now." He slipped an arm around Mathias's waist and perched his chin on his shoulder. 

"Anything you need to talk about?" Mathias pulled a couple of mugs out of the cabinet and set them on the counter next to the stove as he waited for the coffee.

"I don't know." 

"That's a yes, then." He turned his face and kissed Flynn with a soft, reassuring press of lips. "Out with it."

Flynn nuzzled his ear. "It's all muddled, really. Not sure I can sort out the tangles. Some of it's work, and some of it's not, and… well, I'm worried about one of my friends, but there's nothing I can think of to help, really."

Mathias could understand the tangle. He had those reactions often enough himself. "Start with your friend, then. Who is it, and what's happening?" The coffee finally ready, Mathias poured for both of them and handed Flynn a mug; Flynn put some sugar in his and they went to sit on the sofa.

"You remember Venrik? Tall, skinny bloke who came to the wedding?"

Mathias thought for a moment, sipping at his coffee. "I think we spoke briefly. Is he in some kind of trouble?"

"Maybe. He owns the Dead Man's Chest, a tavern in Freehold. We were mates back in the day, had some good fun together. He tried to help me when I had to go back in there with the Alliance emissary, not long before you came to Boralus." Flynn sighed. "He's not a fighter, not even remotely. Barely knows the pointy end of a cutlass from the pommel."

"So, what happened in Freehold?" Mathias tried to remember what he'd been told about the situation in Tiragarde Sound when he and Wyrmbane had first arrived in Boralus, but he didn't recall anything specific about Flynn from that time.

"Was before I met you," Flynn said. "Cyrus sent me and the emissary in there when we were still trying to figure out what the story was on Ashvane and the azerite. I'd not been back since I jumped ship on Sweete a few years earlier. Venrik thought I was dead. I'd really been hoping the Irontide had forgot about me, but they hadn't."

"I can guess what happened next," Mathias murmured. From Flynn's descriptions, Sweete had been a madman and a sadist.

His husband nodded. "While the emissary was off doing all the things that needed to be done as far as stabbing shit went, I had to go find information for Cyrus, but someone recognized me and went running to Sweete. He sent a dozen men for me, including a bloke called Farley Deepsounder -- I'll get to him in a minute -- and they ambushed me at Venrik's place. I could have taken half that many, but Sweete knew me better than that."

"You dealt with seven at once here."

Flynn nodded again. "Yeah, but a lot of that was Lord Stick Up His Ass being amazingly overconfident. These blokes weren't trained assassins, so they'd never have just stuck a knife in my kidney, slit my throat, and been done with it, like Romano should have done." Mathias never wanted to imagine that as a _should,_ but Flynn was right. It's how that fight should have gone. "Nah, Sweete wanted to see me suffer before he watched them kill me. Venrik's useless in a fight. Might as well just throw a glass of water on 'em for all the good he'd do, but he tried. Tides, the man tried. A couple of them pounded him flat and they dragged me off to Sweete, where they tied me to a post and beat me near to death before the emissary showed up." Flynn sipped at his coffee again. "That was Sweete's idea of a great time, watching that kind of shit. Having a man beaten to see how much he could take before he died."

The idea of the Irontide beating Flynn to death for amusement sickened him. "But Sweete's dead, and the Irontide are gone," Mathias said. And a good thing, or Mathias would have sent someone to put him in the ground first thing the next morning.

"Only some of them," Flynn countered. "Deepsounder was one of Sweete's lieutenants. Tae and the emissary and I eliminated three of them to get the keys to Sweete's lockbox when we were trying to get Jaina back, but that was a lot more in and out, and we had Tae for air support, so I didn't get caught that time. Frankly, I never want to go back again. Anyway, we're pretty certain Deepsounder's working with one of Ashvane's relatives now, Baron Evon Ashvane, and trying to regroup the Irontide."

"How much of a problem is this going to be?"

"It's nowhere near an Alliance-sized problem yet, particularly now that azerite's getting so much harder to come by. Definitely an internal Kul Tiran affair. But it's still a mess, and I have my people on it. One of Sonya's crew went into Freehold this week and talked to Venrik. Deepsounder's just financed a new ship. We think Evon's his money man, but we haven't got proof yet. The Irontide's looking for a new home port now that Freehold's not quite so friendly to them anymore. I'm worried that, if Deepsounder manages to get the Irontide going again, somebody'll put a knife in poor Venrik because they know he helped me."

"That seems a legitimate concern, if Sweete and his people had been so eager to get their hands on you even after you'd been away for years." Even if the only thing Flynn had really done was disagree with Sweete's methods and run away.

"Maybe I can get Cyrus to put him on the payroll as an informant and he can hire some security," Flynn muttered.

Mathias shook his head. "Too obvious. It would be better if Cyrus planted a couple of 'regulars' at the tavern to hang out and look drunk while they keep an eye on things. They can step in if it becomes necessary, and don't have to play bouncer the rest of the time if it's not a serious situation."

Flynn chuckled and put an arm around Mathias's shoulders. "Now that? _That_ is why you're my esteemed Spymaster without compare, and not just some bloke who goes around stabbing things. That's brilliant. I'll send a letter to Cyrus tomorrow and see about getting that in motion; they could spend some of their time looking into the new Irontide, too. Venrik wouldn't even have to know."

"Plausible deniability is useful in a lot of situations."

Flynn finished his coffee and got up to put the mug in the sink. "And the fewer obvious current connections he has to me, the safer he is. If Cyrus has a couple of blokes on the inside, I don't have to keep sending my people in for updates on the situation there. Even the _Windlore's_ crew will be recognizable eventually. I hate the idea of painting a target on anyone's back just because they work for me."

That was a feeling Mathias was far too familiar with. Flynn would always be at risk just for being married to him, but there was nothing either of them could do about that. "Understandable."

Flynn shambled over to the kitchen table and started stacking Mathias's reports. He tried not to cringe, as Flynn appeared to be keeping things in order rather than just slapping them together into a pile. "It's Friday, love. We should think about doing something other than work this weekend."

"You're not shipping out for anything?" He'd really been expecting Flynn to have a contract already after they'd got back from Northrend last week.

"Nope. I've got a meeting with somebody on Monday, and Sonya's out tomorrow morning, but the _Arva's_ on shore leave for the weekend."

Mathias rose to take the pile of reports from Flynn. He tucked the loose pages in their appropriate folders and went to put them in the safe in the bedroom. "How about this: we still haven't been out to the cabin that Anduin gave us. It's only about three hours from here, in the Redridge Mountains." He closed the safe securely and turned back to Flynn. "We could go and have a look at it tomorrow morning, get away from things for the night, and be home late Sunday so that we're both here for Monday morning."

"Sure, why not? I don't know the Redridge Mountains at all," Flynn said. "Might as well have a look at Himself's gift, finally. Is it all inland, then?"

He nodded. "It is, but there's a big lake that takes up a lot of the region. We'll be in the mountains at the end of Lake Everstill between Lakeshire and Three Corners. It's pretty rural. Lakeshire's the biggest town in the area, but it's not that much. It'll be a reasonable place to stock up on supplies, or go to the inn for dinner if we don't want to cook. Three Corners isn't much more than a small military outpost, even now."

"Everstill." Flynn chuckled. "Doesn't sound too exciting, that."

Mathias shrugged. "Does it always have to be exciting? What's wrong with quiet sometimes?"

"Nothing, really. If we're just going for the weekend to check the place out, there's no reason it has to be fireworks and glitter." He grinned at Mathias.

"As long as Grixx and Relly aren't there, the chances of fireworks are slim to none." The pair actually told him they could see the fireworks from the bombing of New Hearthglen from the deck the of _Arva_ that evening. Mathias had been inside when they all went off, and far too focused on staying alive and making sure Yana Bloodspear went down and stayed down to care one way or another about that as it was happening.

"Well," Flynn said, "if we're heading out tomorrow morning for this, I should write Cyrus a note about Venrik and send it off tonight. Give me a few minutes to sort that, then do you want to go over to the Gilded Rose for dinner?"

"We should probably pack," Mathias answered.

Flynn snorted. "For one night? Everything we'll need is going to fit in one little bag, love. If we're going to pass by this Lakeshire place, we can get any food we need there, and probably have dinner at their inn, as well. Just remember to wear those spell-threaded skivvies I got for you. Mountains sound like they'll be cold this time of year. We can stuff things in a bag when we get home from the Rose."

Mathias smiled. "I will." Flynn had bought him an underlayer for his armor after they'd got back from Northrend, embroidered with spellthread to help him stay warm in uniform. He'd tried them and realized that they would actually vastly improve his life during the winter and decided to buy more so that he'd always have a clean set to wear. They'd have been just the thing for that trip he'd made to Ravenholdt, and their more recent voyage out to Northrend. "The Redridge Mountains aren't particularly high, but it's cold enough there. You might like trying a little time inland for a change. With the lake, at least there's water around.

"Never quite the same, love."


	2. Out of Town

Flynn had Lucky, his parrot, all saddled up and ready to go early the next morning. Since it was just an overnight out of the city, they had packed light. "We'll be able to find meals in Lakeshire with no trouble," Mathias had told him. "Don't bother bringing anything to eat.

"What, no fish oil, then?" Flynn teased. 

Mathias made a sour face, but laughed. "If you need to guzzle the stuff like ale, sure."

Flynn grinned. "Ah, you know me so well." He didn't bring the fish oil.

When they mounted up, Mathias took the reins, because he knew where they were going. "We'll be in the air for three hours or so," he said. "Most of that will be over Elwynn Forest. I know you've not been outside of Stormwind much. In the winter, like this, the trees are pretty bare, but it'll still be some nice scenery."

"Is it all forest, then?" 

Mathias urged Lucky to the sky and they were off. He shook his head. "No. Originally, yes, but not for a long time now. Elwynn is one of the places where a lot of Stormwind's food comes from, so there are orchards and farms, as well as small towns and lumber there."

"So, kind of like Stormsong Valley."

"But not so open. The forest cover is more like Drustvar."

Flynn shivered. "Drustvar? So it's creepy, is it?"

"Drustvar without the witches," Mathias said, looking back at Flynn. "Or the creepy, really. We have Duskwood for that."

"Mixed bag then, I suppose. This Duskwood got witches?" Anything was going to be better without the witches.

"Ghosts, mostly. And feral worgen."

"That doesn't sound fun at all."

"It's not. Redridge, where we're going, is mostly hills and mountains and the lake. A lot of the freshwater fish in Stormwind is from Lake Everstill. Sagefish, catfish, and the like."

"Mmm, fish. I'll have to try some, then. See how you mainlanders cook 'em."

"You will. It's a big part of what they eat out there. I hope you'll enjoy it."

Flynn nodded into Mathias's shoulder. "Probably will. You'll be there." He smiled as Mathias made an amused sound. "This cabin of ours, any idea what it's like?"

"Given that it used to be one of the royal properties? I'm guessing nice, but I haven't been out there before."

"So, probably not bare to the walls and no hot water."

Mathias laughed. "Probably not. I'm guessing 'cabin' has more to do with the size than any lack of amenities. I imagine it'll be a similar size to our flat."

Sounded big. Flynn sighed happily. "Life of luxury, eh? Hot water for a shower, nice sized bed, cold box for any food, maybe even a privy inside instead of an outhouse!"

"Most likely."

"It's pretty strange, this," Flynn said, pensive, as he rested his chin on Mathias's shoulder. The man was wearing civilian clothes and the greatcoat and scarf Flynn had got for him, so it wasn't as uncomfortable a proposition as it sometimes was. "The thought of me, owning property with someone. I mean, even just a cabin. Seems weird."

"You own three ships." Mathias sounded a bit puzzled.

Flynn nodded. "Aye, that I do. Two of them I won at games of chance, and one was a gift. I didn't buy any of them. But you'd expect a captain to own their own vessel unless they're military or signed on to a trading company."

"The cabin was a gift, too, though." Mathias was warm in Flynn's arms as they flew over the Elwynn Forest.

He shrugged. "I don't know why, but it's just… different. Not something I thought I'd have. I mean, when I was working in Boralus for Cyrus, before I had the _Middenwake,_ I just stayed at a boarding house. There wasn't any point to having a place of my own if I didn't know from one day to the next where I'd be or if I'd be shipping out to wherever the wind took me. Once I had a ship of my own, I just lived aboard."

Mathias rested one arm over Flynn's for a moment, holding Lucky's reins with one hand. "I hadn't realized."

"Living with you, it's the first time I've really had a place ashore to go back to in any sort of a long-term way. The idea that we've got this cabin now… I don't even know what the place looks like yet. Strange that we'd have a place inland, but I guess that's what happens when you marry a mainlander, yeah?" He wondered what it would be like. It didn't feel particularly real just yet. Who knew, with kings? What would a High King consider a 'cabin,' anyway?

Mathias was briefly silent. "When I got home after the Zandalar mission to find you waiting on the dock for me, I wasn't entirely sure what to think. It was obvious you'd been having a rough time of it. After you left and I had to go meet with Anduin and Jaina, they both told me how worried you'd been and how poorly you'd taken it. They weren't the only ones."

"I thought they'd killed you!" Flynn said; just thinking about it still distressed him more than a little. His arms tightened around Mathias's waist.

"It felt… so good to wake next to you the morning after we met at the Gilded Rose. It was the most natural thing in the world to want to have you stay; I knew you'd been camped out at one of the inns in the Dwarven District and it just didn't make sense for you to stay there if you were going back and forth to Boralus." Mathias's voice had gone a little rough as he spoke. "I wanted you with me. After everything, all I wanted was you. It was an easy decision to just ask you to stay."

"At first I was a little worried you'd think I was a barnacle, love," Flynn said. "I thought you'd be keen to be rid of me soon enough." It had been strange at first, living with Mathias in Stormwind and traveling back and forth to Boralus by portal. "But you didn't toss me out after the first week or so, and it… it started to feel like home, because you were there. When we finally moved the _Bold Arva_ to Stormwind for good, it was one of the best days of my life."

"Mine, too," Mathias murmured, barely audible above the rush of wind in Flynn's ears from their flight.

Flynn leaned in and whispered into Mathias's ear, "You're my home port, love. Wherever you are, that's where my heart will be." His husband didn't reply, but Flynn watched as he closed his eyes, and saw the subtle shift of the expression on his face. "Even if it means I end up owning a cabin in the mountains three hours from the sea." Mathias's fingers twined with his and squeezed.

They said nothing for a while after that, and when Mathias spoke again, it was to point out some of the towns and geographical features along the way. Flynn got an earful of the history of Elwynn Forest and how its farms and orchards provided a huge amount of Stormwind's food. Flynn was happy just to listen to his voice and look where he pointed, content with being so intimately close to the man. There were really very few things he liked more in life than moments like this. Treasure hunting, maybe, but then again, Mathias was a treasure as far as Flynn was concerned.

Eventually, Mathias asked Flynn to pull out the map from the case they'd brought along. "I know more or less where the cabin is, but the map gives the exact location," he said.

"X marks the spot?" Flynn tugged out the map case, extracted the map without fumbling anything, and opened it up, holding it so that the man could see. Mathias ran one finger along the shoreline of the lake and looked off into the distance.

"We're not too far now. We'll be passing over Three Corners soon, and it's just over the ridge of foothills from there. With luck, it won't be too hard to spot."

Flynn stretched his neck up a bit to get a better view over Mathias's shoulder. He could see the tower of what must be Three Corners in the distance through the trees. They were mostly bare, but still nowhere near as creepy as the forests of Drustvar, which was absolutely fine with him. It seemed pretty out here, and he could see the foothills ahead of them, with the rise of mountains beyond.

Not long after, they crested the foothills and started up into the mountains themselves. They weren't snow-capped like the ones around Ironforge, but they were tall enough, and the air got colder there even though it was approaching mid-day. "I think that's it," Mathias said, pointing to something in the distance among the trees.

As they drew closer, Flynn could see that the place was less a cabin than an actual house, with a stable and a gryphon roost nearby. There was a narrow trail heading off into the forest and down the mountainside that looked like it would accommodate a horse or a mule, but not a cart. Aside from the bit of flat land close in, most of the area was steep and forested. Decent hunting territory, he supposed, but not the easiest terrain to navigate on foot.

"It's way bigger than I thought when Himself said it was a cabin," Flynn said, as Mathias brought them to a landing. "Looks like we'll have to build a perch for Lucky though, soon enough." 

"Perch!" the parrot agreed.

Mathias nodded as they dismounted. Flynn gave Mathias the backpack and took Lucky into the stable. There was no actual perch there, but at least she wouldn't get into any trouble. He took off her tack and hung it on the pegs on one of the walls, then tossed a blanket over her, which she immediately began playing with. After, he laid out the food he'd brought for her in one of the troughs and found a pump for some water and a couple of buckets nearby as Mathias went to open the house up. "You're a good lass," he told the bird, giving her a friendly head rub and playing with her feathers when he returned with water for her. 

Lucky shook her head and food went flying from her huge beak. She squawked "Thanks, boss," and stuck her beak in the water bucket, tipping her head back to drink until she was sated. Flynn poured several buckets of water into another trough for her. The stable would easily hold four horses, so it was more than adequate for one nosy parrot.

Lucky tended, Flynn made his way over to the 'cabin.' It wasn't anything like he would have called by that name. In his mind, a cabin would have been a little one-room place with an outhouse out back and a water pump somewhere nearby, but this looked like a proper house. Seemed like it was even bigger than their Stormwind flat. Curious, Flynn opened the door and went in. The main room was a little larger than their living room, and nicely furnished. There was a separate kitchen and even a small dining room. The place was decorated with stuffed animal heads and antlers and the like -- very hunting lodge. It looked big but cosy.

"I'm in the bedroom," Mathias said. Flynn followed his voice. There were two bedrooms and a little office. In the hallway, there was a door that led to a privy with a bath, and the bedroom where he found Mathias was larger, with a bath and shower just off it. The room had a nice, large bed, and it already had sheets and blankets on it.

"You work fast," he said.

Mathias chuckled. "I think someone was here between the time Anduin gave it to us and now. There's not much dust on anything."

"It's… you could put an entire family in here and they'd not even need to stack anyone on the sofa or the floor. And how did they get all this… stuff up here? I saw the trail up the mountainside. You can't get a cart up that."

"I assume it was portaled in," Mathias said. "The style's not really Anduin's, nor his father's. Looking at it, I suspect this belonged to one of the noble houses at some point."

"Ah, yeah, like Norwington back in Tiragarde Sound. Bloke's got his 'hunting lodges' scattered around all over. Fancy things, not unlike this, really." He knelt to start a fire in the bedroom's hearth as Mathias unpacked their few things.

"We can go down into Lakeshire in a little while, get some lunch," Mathias said.

Flynn nodded as the fire started to catch properly. "I'll be hungry soon, I think, but we should let Lucky have a bit of a rest. The old gal's hauled two of us a fair distance." He looked up. "Oh, by the way, Tae said that Shadow would be ready for you in a month or so. She's growing fast and apparently taking to riders pretty well. Have you been out to see her at all?"

"Not long before the Northrend mission, actually. I had to consult with the Lord Admiral about a few things, so I stopped to check in with the Harbormaster and Taelia. I was only out of town for a few hours." With the fire going, the room started to warm up a bit. Mathias tugged at his scarf and opened the buttons on his greatcoat without taking them off. "She's a fine looking little gryphon. Friendly. Taelia told me I should visit her more often so she'd get used to me."

"It's a good idea. They get pretty attached to their person, from what Tae says. I know the wonderbird never really took a shine to me. It'd be a pity if Tae went through all that and you hadn't been around enough for Shadow to get to know you." Flynn stood and dusted off his hands. "Never imagined having a place as big as all this. Did you get much of a look around yet?"

"Not much. I just came in, figured out what kind of space we had and do a security check, then came in here to drop off our things." He tucked the empty backpack into a tall wooden wardrobe against one wall.

Flynn shrugged his own coat off and tossed it on the bed. He went to his husband and slid his hands under Mathias's greatcoat, holding him close. The man relaxed into his arms and rested his head on Flynn's shoulder, face tucked against his neck. Mathias's nose was cold. "It'll warm up in here in a couple of minutes. How was the under layer?"

"Much warmer than I'd have expected. It's nice not to be freezing at the end of a flight for a change." His facial hair tickled against Flynn's skin as he spoke.

"That's good." Flynn grinned. "I'm glad I found something that worked." He held on tightly for a couple of minutes, both of them just leaning into each other, silent and comfortable. Eventually, they shifted and parted slightly, arms still around each other. "We should see what kind of stuff we have in the kitchen. We might not be cooking this weekend, but I'm sure it'll happen at some point. I'd hate to realize we didn't have something vital before I got into it."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Mathias said, tilting his head up and pressing a soft kiss to Flynn's mouth. "That said, I imagine you'll feel better knowing what's already here. It's probably a lot better equipped than at home in Stormwind, given how this place is already set up."

"Gotta know where everything's stowed, anyway." With one last kiss, he let Mathias go. Flynn picked up his coat and followed as Mathias led him back along the hallway into the living room, where Flynn hung his coat on a hook near the door.

"The kitchen's here." Mathias gestured and Flynn went in first. It was a well-organized space with everything Flynn figured he'd ever need, and more besides. Some of the items, however, were a bit of a puzzle. He pulled something unrecognizable out of a drawer and held it up, giving it a curious once over. "What's this for?"

Mathias shrugged. "I have no idea. You're the cook, not me." Flynn tossed it back into the drawer. Maybe he'd figure it out eventually. Maybe he'd get a book somewhere that explained some of it.

"This is all pretty fancy." The oven and cooktop ran on some kind of magic. They didn't seem to need wood or fuel, or at least Flynn couldn't find a place to put any in. There were little glyphs on the surface that seemed to be for adjusting the heat. The cold box worked in a similar way. "Okay, scratch that. It's _really_ fancy. It may take me a while to get used to this."

Opening more drawers and cabinets revealed some basic staples that he could work with, though anything fresh would have to be brought in. Flour, rice, potatoes, dried herbs and spices -- there was enough that he'd have been able to throw together something really basic if pressed, but there was no need for the moment.

The fire in the bedroom was starting to send its warmth out into the other rooms, as well, though slowly. Mathias finally took his coat and scarf off and hung them near Flynn's. "When will you want to go into town?" Mathias asked.

"Half an hour or so?" He smiled. "You got any idea about what we might do for half an hour or so?"

Mathias chuckled. "I know what's on your mind but if it's all the same, I'd rather wait until we're in for the night. What I'd like would take more time than that."

Flynn grinned. "Oh, that sounds promising. You want to skip lunch?"

Laughing, Mathias shook his head. "Sadly, no. I'm actually getting hungry. The last thing I want is for my stomach to start growling when we're in the middle of things. Right now, I just want to be stationary for a little while." He dropped himself down on the long sofa and pulled his boots off, then put his feet up. "This is nice," he said, sounding a bit surprised. "Very comfy." He held out an arm to Flynn. "Come give it a try."

Flynn hurried over and plopped down with him, only to find it was a devastatingly comfortable piece of furniture. "This is… I may never get up again!" It was soft and more than long enough for Mathias to stretch out on without his feet hanging off the end. Flynn got rid of his own boots and lay down next to him. "If the sofa's like this, what's the bed like?" They curled up together, enjoying the space and the growing warmth.

"Anything this comfortable is probably cursed," Mathias said. 

"Can't be," Flynn said, shaking his head. "Nothing in Drustvar is as comfy as this." They laughed and settled in to just enjoy the quiet for a little while before heading into town.


	3. Incognito

They took Lucky down the mountain a little after midday and left her at the stable before heading over to the Lakeshire Inn to see what the place had for lunch. Mathias had quite resolutely left his uniform back in Stormwind and, while he was armed, it wasn't anything like his full complement of daggers and throwing knives. Flynn was, as ever, just dressed in his usual clothes. They wandered together from the stable by the gryphon roost to head across the bridge over the lake and into town.

"Looks like kind of a sleepy little place," Flynn said. 

"Most of the time, it is." Mathias paused on the bridge, looking out over the lake away from the town itself. "There's a murloc colony over on that side of the lake," he pointed, "that sometimes gets a bit problematic, and there are gnolls in the hills as well."

"Hmm. Okay, maybe not always sleepy, then." He tucked an arm over Mathias's shoulders and they continued on into town. There were Stormwind guardsmen posted around the area, though no one seemed to recognize him immediately, which suited him just fine. He wasn't here on business, just to have a quiet weekend away, after all.

They made their way to the inn, where Flynn asked for a table. The innkeeper smiled and led them in. "I love your accent." she said, "Where are you from?"

"Kul Tiras," Flynn said. "Boralus, mostly."

She gave him a confused look. "How is someone only 'mostly' from anywhere?"

He laughed. "I'm a ship's captain, lass. Captain Flynn Fairwind, to be precise! Sailors are always only 'mostly' from somewhere."

The innkeep grinned as she showed them to a table. "Are you in town for a while, or just passing through? We have clean, comfortable rooms for travelers at good rates."

They sat and Mathias said, "We have a place to stay." He put a hand on Flynn's wrist, hoping he wouldn't say too much.

"Oh, that's lovely. Who are you staying with?" Flynn opened his mouth to reply but Mathias gave his wrist a squeeze, and his husband looked at him, waiting to see what he'd do.

"We're in a little place nearby," Mathias said. "What's on the menu for lunch?"

She hesitated for an instant over the obvious diversion, but started telling them about the day's specials. "I heard you have a lot of sagefish here," Flynn said. "What do you do with it, usually?"

"Oh, sagefish is a local specialty, fresh from the lake!" she said, smiling. "We have smoked sagefish and sagefish delight today, if you're interested. Sagefish delight's more a dinner sort of thing, though."

"Smoked?" Flynn asked, suspicious. "Is that smoked as in 'fish-flavored boots' or smoked as in 'smoke-flavored fish'?"

She laughed. "Smoke-flavored fish. We use alder, and it gives the fish a really lovely finish."

Flynn perked up. "Well, then. Never had either of those. Mathias, got a preference?"

"The smoked sagefish, with one of the cheese plates, I think. Some bread along with it." Questions diverted, he was content to have coffee with his lunch, while Flynn ordered a lager. When the nosy innkeeper left to take their order to the kitchen, he said, "I'd really like to keep it as quiet as possible that we're here. People in small towns always want to know what you're doing and who you know. I don't mind if we ease into it after a while, but I'd rather they get used to seeing us now and then before they realize who I am."

"Should I not have told her my name?" 

Mathias sighed. "I suppose that was inevitable, you're far more open than is sometimes advisable. Thankfully, she didn't recognize it. If we intend to actually use the place we were given, they'll know eventually. I just don't want anyone making a fuss over it."

Flynn gave him a puzzled look. "You think they'd have a problem with you?"

"Not as such," Mathias said, "but sometimes people want favors or think they can try to gain influence through me. Their sister wants to join SI:7 or they have a compelling reason to think the neighbor they're arguing with is a Horde agent." He shook his head. "It's always something."

Flynn chuckled. "There could be worse things."

Mathias glowered at him. "I'm sure there could but, trust me, I don't want to imagine them."

"Let's imagine lunch, instead," Flynn said, smiling as the innkeeper returned with their food and drinks.

"Here you go, handsome," she said, and turned a beguiling smile on Flynn. "I'm Brianna. If you'd like someone to give you a little tour of the town, I have an hour's break later this afternoon. I'd be happy to show you the best places to fish or to buy your supplies. The Sunday morning market happens tomorrow, starting early." She ran a too-friendly hand over Flynn's shoulder, a slightly predatory look in her eyes. While Mathias could understand the sentiment, he didn't have to like it. Flynn looked up and smiled back at her, apparently incapable of not responding with his own charm.

Mathias cleared his throat. "You're flirting with my husband." He attempted to sound matter of fact rather than overly possessive.

Brianna blushed and covered her mouth with one hand as she turned her attention to Mathias, obviously embarrassed. "Oh! Dear me, I'm sorry Mr. Fairwind. I didn't realize!"

Flynn choked back a laugh and Mathias flushed. "It's, ah…" He'd never considered _that_ as a possible assumption before. It… wasn't horrible, and it did seem like a possible easy cover for them. 'Mathias Fairwind' wouldn't be quite so notable as Master Shaw, after all.

"It's all right, lass," Flynn said, a mischievous grin on his face. He winked at her. "People are always surprised. A handsome sailor like me snagging a dashing mainlander like him, I mean." He shrugged and took Mathias's hand. "Who could have predicted such a devastatingly good looking couple?"

She giggled. "I truly am sorry, and thank you for not shouting at me over it."

Flynn shrugged, still grinning. "Easy enough mistake to make, though, isn't it? I mean, who wouldn't want to flirt with a devilishly handsome Kul Tiran captain? Mathias couldn't resist, either, and look where it got him!"

"Flynn!"

"I do hope you'll enjoy your lunch, gentlemen," Brianna said, her smile gone shy and tentative. "But if you're going to be in town for a bit, really, do wander through the stalls tomorrow morning in the town square. The Sunday market brings farmers and other folk with fresh produce, meat, and fish from all around the Redridge Mountains. It's a lovely time, and very social." She scurried off before either of them could reply and Flynn shook his head, laughing quietly.

"Mathias Fairwind. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" His voice was quiet and fond, and his thumb caressed the back of Mathias's hand and passed over the ring on his finger as his broad grin softened.

"It's… an acceptable cover name," Mathias murmured, still blushing as he pushed the plate of smoked sagefish toward his husband. "Here, try the fish." Mathias snagged a piece of cheese and stuffed it in his mouth so that he wouldn't have to say anything else.

Flynn chuckled as he watched Mathias eat. "Always a dodge with you, isn't it?" He tried a bite of the fish. "Oh, this is nice. Not leathery at all!" He didn't bring it up again, and they passed their lunch with quiet conversation about the food and what they were likely to find at the market the next morning.

On the way out of the inn, Mathias saw the local guard officer approaching, looking uneasy. He sighed and moved away from the inn, heading toward the shore of the lake, where there were fewer people around to overhear. Flynn trailed after him.

"Master Shaw." The Marshal kept his voice down. "What brings you to Lakeshire, sir? Is there a problem?" The last time Mathais had been in the area, it had been to pass out booze to the local troops to distract them while Saurfang made his escape from Stormwind.

He shook his head. "No problem, Marshal Marris." He sighed and looked around. "If there was any problem, I'd have contacted you through the appropriate channels, I assure you."

Marris looked confused. "If there's not a problem then why are you here? Sir. If you don't mind me asking."

It had to come out eventually, he supposed. "I want this kept strictly confidential, Marshal. I've recently acquired some property in the mountains nearby. I expect I'll be in town occasionally and would very much prefer it if my presence here were kept quiet."

Marris's brow wrinkled further. "If that's the case, sir, I'd appreciate knowing in advance so that I can stay in the loop. You won't be disturbed." He gestured at Flynn. "Who's this gentleman?"

Mathias straightened and crossed his arms over his chest, giving Marris a pointed look. "My husband, Captain Flynn Fairwind. While it's unlikely he'll be here alone, it's always possible. I expect his presence to be treated with the same discretion, is that clear?"

"Yes sir, of course. I'd heard rumors you'd been married, sir, but I can't say as I entirely believed it. Congratulations." He nodded to Flynn. "Pleasure to meet you, Captain."

"Likewise." Flynn held out a hand and Marris shook it. "I'm trying to let Mathias get a little practice at having a personal life." He smiled at Marris, who blinked but, to his credit, said nothing. "We're only here overnight, don't worry. We'll be gone before you know it." With a quiet laugh, Flynn added, "Your innkeep, Brianna, didn't recognize him and thinks his name's Mathias Fairwind. Don't tell her otherwise, eh?"

The expression on Marris's face was somewhere between incredulous and pole-axed. "Um… ah… of course, sir." He eyed Mathias. "If that's what you want, sir."

"Let it be for the time being. We're likely to be around occasionally and it might help maintain my privacy for at least a little longer."

"Right, sir. As you like. I'll let you two get on with your weekend then. If there's nothing you need."

"Nothing at all, thank you Marshal." Mathias dismissed the man with a wave of his hand and Marris scurried off.

"Poor sod looked thoroughly confused," Flynn said.

Mathias raised an eyebrow at him. "You tend to have that effect on people." He took Flynn's hand and they made their way into the general goods shop. "We should get some coffee. I didn't see any in the kitchen."

"Blasphemy! We have to fix that right now."

*** 

That afternoon, Flynn went for a walk along the lake, despite the overcast weather, while Mathias stayed up at their house; he refused to think of a place that was larger than their flat as a cabin. He got acquainted with some of the shopkeepers down in Lakeshire, chatting and having a look at their goods. Being a bit of a spinner of tales, Flynn managed to deflect too many personal questions with tall tales of life at sea for the mainlanders. In the few cases where that didn't work, he asked about the history of the town, and learned rather more than he actually wanted to know about the orc incursions of some years back. 

He also heard a lot of stories about John Keeshan; he hadn't known the man was from Lakeshire, but he sounded like quite the local hero. Unfortunately, like most heroes, he had an overly tragic past. It was no wonder he'd taken up with a stabby gnome with a fondness for explosives.

Not that Flynn could point any fingers. He'd taken up with the stabbiest man in the Alliance, after all. He wondered what it said about him that he'd married one of the best assassins on Azeroth, and that both of them were happy with their lot. Probably nothing particularly good, but he loved Mathias anyway.

By the time he headed back up the mountain, he'd learned the names of half a dozen shop keepers, and where to get the juiciest gossip in town. He'd also had to fend off four separate attempts by different people to bring him home. A couple of years ago, he'd have been happy to take any of them up on it, but now that he had Mathias waiting for him, he turned them each down with a friendly grin and informed them that he was spoken for. It wouldn't take long for word to get around that he and Mathias were a couple, and the novelty of making a pass at the sailor in town would fade. Probably. Some people, he knew, seemed to like sneaking off with folks who had partners. Sneaking seemed to be the thrill for them. Flynn did enough sneaking for work, thank you very much.

There was a storm coming on as Lucky landed. There would be rain, or maybe snow. Flynn thought the sharpness in the air suggested the latter. Mathias's leg was probably bothering him. Accurate as a Tidesage, his leg. Flynn was sorry it was so; he knew Mathias ached pretty badly from it sometimes.

"Hey, love, I'm home," Flynn called as he opened the door, uncertain where Mathias would be.

His husband looked up from the sofa, where he was working on something small over the table that lay in front of him. There was a warm fire in the hearth, and a mug of coffee close at hand. "Did you have a good afternoon?"

Flynn shed his greatcoat and hung it on its hook. "Had to fend off my adoring masses, but aside from that, yeah. Got acquainted with some folks and learned more than I expected about Keeshan. Did you know he's from around these parts?" Mathias nodded. Flynn gestured at the little collection of things on the table. "What are you up to?"

"You remember that Johnny gave me some things for scrimshaw over Winter Veil?" Mathias held up a little piece of ivory. "I finally had a little time to try it. It's very different from whittling, but I think I like the effect."

Flynn went over and sat with him, taking the small, offered ivory piece. "This is really beautiful work, love." It was a mostly-finished rendering of Lucky, with very fine detail. "Were you practicing on other stuff before, or is this your first?" 

"It's my first."

Flynn turned the piece in his fingers and whistled, astonished. "You've got real talent. This is amazing. Johnny'll be jealous as hell when he sees how good you are."

Mathias shrugged. "I learned to draw early on, mostly for work. Being able to give people an actual image often helped, either for reports or for sending agents out on an assignment. Pathonia said it was a useful skill, but it was one I discovered I liked."

"Is it something you thought about doing, ever?" Flynn ran a finger over the fine lines and points of the image. Mathias hadn't colored it yet, but he had no doubt that his husband would do a brilliant job with that, as well. "I mean, if you weren't running SI:7." He looked up at Mathias, who had a pensive expression on his face.

"Until recently, I'd never given much thought to what I'd do if I weren't doing intelligence work. The thought of being anything else was… I don't know, even thinking about not following my grandmother's plan for my life seemed impossible, so why even bother?" Mathias sighed and Flynn handed him the ivory. "Since I met you, since we started this, everything's changed. Even the idea that I might have a life after SI:7 is such a new concept." Mathias set everything down on the table and leaned back on the sofa. "You make me want things I never imagined were possible."

Flynn pulled his boots off then flopped over and lay his head on Mathias's lap, looking up at him. "Your gran must have been a real piece of work, love, from what you've said about her. I mean, I understand making the choice she did for herself, but to force your mum and you into it as well?"

"It wasn't something I questioned." Mathias's eyes closed. "How could I have? No child has that kind of autonomy."

Flynn closed his eyes too, and sighed as Mathias ran his fingers through his long hair, tugging off the cord that held it and letting it fall free. "I know you didn't have a choice then. You do now."

"I'm not sure I do, though. Rell's not ready to take over yet. I can't just walk away at this point, though sometimes I'm tempted. What would happen if I left? What would happen to Anduin? To Stormwind? How could I leave them unprepared?" Flynn opened his eyes again, seeing the worry in the tightness around Mathias's eyes.

"Not to be morbid or anything, but if you got killed when you were on a mission, wouldn't the same questions apply? How is it different? Why couldn't you walk away if you wanted to?" Flynn shrugged. "But I don't think you do, not just yet. You'd miss it. Really, I'm only asking about all this because it seems like you should have some idea about what you want for your life when you finally do give it all up. I keep trying to understand what it must have been like for you, growing up like that. I just… I can't really imagine it. Brilliant, artistic bloke like you, saddled with that kind of a life and that kind of a grandmother."

"That's a long story." Mathias played idly with Flynn's hair, not looking him in the eyes. "I don't know that you'd want to hear it."

Flynn reached up and turned Mathias's face to him. "I told you mine. You don't have to, but you could tell me your story, you know."

His eyes got a faraway look in them. "Maybe after dinner tonight."

"There's a storm coming."

Mathias nodded. "I know." He shifted slightly, probably unconsciously, to stretch his leg out a bit.

"Good storytelling weather, that." He tugged Mathias down for a kiss. It was slow and sweet and eventually Mathias pulled away with a sigh.

"Not so good for going down into town after dark, though."

Flynn nodded. "I could go, bring something back for us if you like."

"You'd do that?"

"Why not? It's only about five minutes down if I fly, and you'd not have to go out in it. We could have a quiet night in, we wouldn't have to cook, and it would just be us instead of a room full of folks at the inn." He ran his fingertips along Mathias's jawline in a gentle caress. "I'm not generally the sort of bloke to volunteer for things I don't want to do, I usually get press ganged into those. You know that."

"All right, then, if you're sure. I'd appreciate it."

Flynn smiled and tugged Mathias down for another kiss, as slow and sweet as the one before. "I'll bring something up we can make for breakfast, too. Save the trip. The weather tomorrow morning's like to be shit as well."


	4. In the Shadow of the Assassin

Mathias was relieved that Flynn brought dinner up from Lakeshire. Despite the warmth of the fire in the house, the storm was giving him a little trouble. He wasn't limping but it wouldn't have taken much to push it over the edge. His husband chattered cheerfully over their meal about the people he'd met in town, and the ones who'd made passes at him. He wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that. It's not like Flynn had responded to any of them. If he trusted Flynn less, he supposed he'd be jealous, but if he trusted him less, he'd never have married him in the first place.

The man flirted as naturally as breathing. Mathias wasn't even certain Flynn realized he was doing it most of the time. With his robust good looks and garrulous nature, he was the sort of man you could send on a honey trap mission and expect to see success. Mathias had done a few over the years himself, but only in magical disguise, because the bright copper color of his hair and the sharpness of his face were memorable, and he knew he wasn't the sort that most people found particularly attractive. Flynn's more sedate auburn was less notable. What Flynn had, though, was a level of natural, easygoing charm that ranged from ridiculous to weaponized, and Mathias knew he wasn't the only one who had a hard time resisting it. 

It didn't work on everyone, of course. Despite the fact that Flynn had once harbored a substantial crush on Taelia Fordragon, she regarded him as a cheerful and occasionally dim brother rather than a love interest. Mathias was fine with that. He knew what his life would be missing if she and Flynn had taken up together before he'd arrived in Boralus. At this point, the thought of that emptiness was painful. The joy that Flynn had brought him wasn't something he thought he'd ever be able to find elsewhere.

They poured a couple of glasses of whiskey after they ate, and curled up on the sofa together. The warmth of the fire, and of Flynn's body against his own, was comforting. "You were going to tell me about your gran, if you're still up for it," Flynn murmured into his ear. He had one arm around Mathias, his glass in his other hand.

Mathias nodded. "It's hard to know where to start." He sipped at his whiskey and rested against Flynn's chest.

"You said you were, what, four when your mother died? Do you remember her at all?" Flynn's voice was quiet and gentle.

"No," Mathias said, with a shake of his head. "I don't think I've ever seen a picture of her. I don't even know her name. I know less than nothing about my father. I assume I had one, but that's all that can be said about it. The few times I remember asking about my mother, Pathonia would tell me that I shouldn't want to be like her, that she had failed, and there was no room for failure in what we do."

"That's cold."

He shrugged. "She was right about there being no room for failure when you're an assassin. You kill, or you die. It's that simple."

"What's the first thing you remember about your grandmother?" Flynn nuzzled at Mathias's temple, the scent of whiskey on his breath. The motion and the ghost of Flynn's breath in his ear sent a shiver down his spine.

He had to think for a few moments, sorting through dim memories, before he found it. "Daggers," Mathias murmured. "I remember she gave me daggers. I was… five? Maybe? It couldn't have been long after my mother died."

Flynn's arm tightened around him. "What kinds of things was she teaching you at that age, anyway?"

"Picking pockets. Climbing things. Getting into and out of tight spaces. Things like juggling, that sharpened my reflexes and coordination. How not to be seen. More importantly, how not to be noticed if you are seen -- somebody with hair the color of mine is always going to be notable in a crowd."

"It was one of the first things that caught my eye." He could feel Flynn smile against his temple. "I love your hair." Flynn's nose eased up along the curve of his skull, pressing kisses as he went. "And your pointy moustache, I gotta say." He reached up and tweaked one end of it then tapped the tip of Mathias's nose with a finger. Mathias sighed and nipped at him. "Now, now. You can nibble on me later. You're telling a story." 

"I thought I was just answering your questions?"

Flynn shrugged. "Seems to be the only way to get you started talking sometimes. You'll ease into it eventually."

The man always seemed to know him so well. It was true that Mathias wasn't used to talking about himself, and certainly not about his grandmother or his past. It was all so fraught, and too private. He sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm trying."

"I know, love," Flynn whispered. "I know. You're better at it now than you were. We've got all night, really. I'm not in a rush. Though, I'll admit, the sooner you tell me your story, the sooner we can get to whatever it was you wanted to do with me." He could almost hear the eyebrow waggle in his husband's quiet voice. He had to admit, that was an encouraging incentive.

"She was strict," Mathias said. "Pathonia had very exacting ideas about how things should function and disliked anyone questioning her authority or her actions. She helped found the Assassin's Guild and ruled it with an iron hand. She taught me that there was a difference between doing what was right, and doing what was necessary." He shivered, knowing just how often he'd had to make that choice.

"We've all had to make hard decisions." Flynn's hand traced a warm path up and down his arm and Mathias sighed at his touch. "Sometimes they hurt. Sometimes they save Azeroth."

"Sometimes they do both."

"For you, I think mostly they do both."

He lay one hand over Flynn's and sipped at his drink. "It's at least part of why nobody so much as blinked when Detheroc ordered Amber's death." It still hurt, and not just because she'd died trying to get word to the Uncrowned that he'd been taken prisoner, though that was its own void filled with nothing but guilt. "She was more than my best agent. She… she was my friend, Flynn. I keep saying I never really had any, but it's not entirely true. It's just that... " He took a shaky breath. "Until very recently, all of them were dead. I know it's not true, but there are moments when I feel like being around me is some kind of curse. I worry that you'll be murdered for being with me. I worry about your crew. It's hard, because they're so good to me; they're the closest thing I've ever had to what people say a family is like. Pathonia was my grandmother, but being around her never felt like they do."

Flynn's arm slipped around his waist and tightened again, his bristly cheek pressing against Mathias's temple. "When everything you've ever had gets taken away from you," he murmured, "it's really hard to trust that anything's actually yours. Hard to feel like people will stay, or even stay alive. You may have had your gran when you were growing up, but when you talk about it, that always sounds more like just an accident of birth. You _do_ have a family now, love."

Mathias's eyes closed, damp and prickling with unshed tears. "I know," he whispered.

"You've got people who love you, people who'd come for you if you were in trouble. People who've shown up at your door to help take care of you when you were hurt." Mathias nodded as Flynn continued. "I'm sorry you never had that before."

"And what happens if that comes into conflict with my duty to the Crown, or to the Alliance?" Mathias asked, his voice cracking. He drank down half the glass of whiskey. "What if something awful happens, and I have to make a choice again? How could I ever choose between you and the Alliance?" He stared at the far wall. "What if I ever had to choose between Anduin and the Alliance? Or between the Alliance and Azeroth herself?" He struggled with that constantly, heart aching, knowing that decisions like that were likely to be the end of him someday.

Flynn sighed. "I can't answer that, love. I'm not you. I hope, in the end, you'd make the decision that would save the most people. Like when Hayaji had me and the crew, I expected you to have to just let us go and hope you could find us later. I never thought you'd come for us, because I didn't believe you could. I thought it would be one of those decisions."

"I found a way." He'd been lucky that time. With the support of Anduin, Jaina, and some of his best agents, he'd been able to pull off a miracle. He shook off his mood as best he could. That, at least, had turned out well. Flynn and the _Arva's_ crew had all come out of it alive and relatively unharmed. "Pathonia would probably disown me at this point if she were still alive, though. Getting involved with you -- with anyone -- was completely against the rules she'd laid down for my life."

"I'm glad you finally started making your own rules," Flynn said. He set down his glass and turned Mathias's face, kissing him carefully. "You deserve to be happy just as much as anyone else, you know."

"I'm… starting to believe that. Sometimes. When I'm with you."

"What was it like, being an assassin in Stormwind when you were just a kid?" Flynn sounded genuinely puzzled.

That was a tangled, complicated tale if ever one existed. "Pathonia's work was… without equal. When she had a target, no one ever knew. It always looked like an accident, or a coincidence, or someone else's work. Nothing was ever traced back to her, as far as I know." He'd learned that extremely well. The only time anyone was aware of his own work was when he intended it. Things like what had happened in New Hearthglen weren't assassination contracts. Incursions like that didn't follow the same rules. "She taught me the same ways of doing things. Like her, I've never had an actual assassination traced back to me, personally. These days, that work tends to be assigned to other people anyway, but the principle remains. The best assassination is one that doesn't look like an assassination."

"Well, I always knew you were good at what you do."

"I told you before that I fulfilled my first assignment when I was ten; I killed the man my mother was sent after, six years after her failure."

"Somebody must really have wanted that bloke dead."

Mathias nodded. "I still don't know why she saved that job for me. I looked for the records, but there aren't any. It could have been dealt with before by any of the other assassins in the Guild."

"Sounds personal."

"Maybe it was. I'll never know. Pathonia died years ago, and never spoke to me about it beyond the fact that he was my mother's target."

"She send you out on a lot of those contracts, after that?"

"I did a fair number of jobs. While most people might suspect the kids dressed in rags of being pickpockets, nobody thinks of a child in decent clothing as a potential assassin. Especially if there's no fight involved. You say 'assassin' and people think it's all daggers in the dark. Sometimes it's poison. Sometimes it's a runaway cart. Sometimes they just died in their sleep."

"With a little help."

"With a little help." Mathias burrowed into Flynn's arms. "But then the Horde came. I was twelve when they sacked Stormwind. Everything I'd ever known was gone. Like everyone else who could do so, Pathonia and I ran. We spent a little time in Lordaeron, regrouping. We did what we could to kill Horde scouts, and sometimes even their leaders, until we could go back home to our ruined city." His grandmother had seen it coming and had a pack prepared before everything fell apart with some clothing, their weapons, her poison-making supplies, and a few other necessities, so they didn't have to flee the city with nothing but the clothes on their backs, like so many others had. 

They'd walked from their fallen city to Lordaeron, dodging -- and killing -- orcs along the way. It had taken more than three weeks. She'd had Mathias carry their pack the entire way. At one point he'd asked why she didn't sell some of the garish, bejeweled rings she wore and buy them a horse to make the journey easier. She'd laughed and told him nobody was going to trade gold for a horse in that kind of chaos. _You can't eat gold,_ she'd said. _There's nothing for us here except killing orcs. Less complaining, boy. More walking._

Flynn twined his fingers with Mathias's. "I guess when you said that VanCleef bloke helped rebuild the city, it didn't really occur to me that it meant you were _in_ Stormwind when it fell. That you'd seen the only home you knew destroyed like that. I'm sorry, love."

Mathias tilted his head to look up at Flynn. "The Horde bombarded Boralus repeatedly during the last war. Ashvane's people laid siege to the city and nearly destroyed the place, and an aberration from the bottom of the sea got involved; you were there helping to defend the place. It's not like you don't know how it feels."

"Of course I was defending it. But Boralus is still standing." Flynn said it like it was an excuse, like it meant the whole thing had hurt him less than Stormwind's fall had hurt Mathias.

"It is, thank the Light," he said, "and Stormwind was rebuilt, but this isn't a competition for who had it worse. I know we both act like it is sometimes, and we both think the other one got the worst of it, but that's really not what I'm trying to say." He sighed and sat up again, rubbing Flynn's shoulder. "Can we just admit that we've both had shitty lives and that things have been significantly less shitty for us since we got together?"

Flynn nodded. "I'll try if you will. It's hard to let it go."

"I know. We've discussed this before, more than once." Which just showed how damned hard it was to change ingrained patterns, even when you wanted to. "We did what we could to help, which mostly meant disposing of as many key orcs as possible from behind the scenes, and bringing information to the Crown while we were at it. We organized guerilla strikes and coordinated networks of informants." He sighed. "By we, I mostly mean Pathonia; the Assassin's Guild lost a lot of members when the city fell and she'd been grooming me for a leadership role from early on, but I was still young and very much a secondary figure at the time."

He noticed that Flynn didn't say anything about him still being a child, but he also knew that Flynn had been a pirate for a few years himself by that age. Neither of them had ever truly been innocents. "It was hard, bloody work, but it was the only way to get the city back. None of us had a choice."

"You never had one about anything, ever." Flynn tugged him back down into his arms and Mathias went with it, resting against his body again. "You do now, though."

"I have more of one than I did when I was a kid. We both know my life's still not my own." He was beholden to too many powers, even now. People imagined he had far more autonomy than he actually did. 

Mathias would never have said he loved his grandmother, but he'd respected her. Lately, he'd come to wonder if what had happened to him wasn't all that different from what Caylem had been subjected to. It had taken Flynn's perspective to make him question it all. What he'd known, what he'd done, what he'd become.

Flynn's fingers drifted through his hair, caressing, and Mathias relaxed into it as best he could. "You're stealing a bit more of it back everytime we do something like this, though. Maybe someday you'll finally be convinced you can swipe the whole thing." He chuckled. "We'll go where the wind takes us, love, and leave them all without a map so they'll never find you. No X to mark the spot where I'll hide you."

It… sounded appealing, being stolen away and hidden, not as a prisoner but as a treasure. Of course Flynn would think pirate metaphors were still a little romantic, even knowing the worst of the truth about them, having actually been one. "Maybe someday," Mathias murmured, closing his eyes.

"You'll get there," Flynn said. "You know I'll be here when you're ready. I'm not going anywhere without you."

He knew his husband meant it, every word of it. If he asked, Flynn would drop everything, recall the crew, and set sail on the next tide to points unknown; the crew would drop them there and never tell anyone where they'd gone. He couldn't even say it wasn't tempting; it was, far more than he wanted to admit. But he couldn't. Not now. Not yet. The time wasn't right, and both of them knew it. He didn't know when, or even if, it ever would be, but Light, it was tempting.

"That… that means a lot to me." He looked up and met Flynn's eyes.

Flynn held up his hand, and the ring around his finger. "I wouldn't make this kind of a promise lightly. You know that. But it also means that you're my priority, not the Alliance, or Stormwind, or Anduin. I'm not even as beholden to the Lord Admiral as some might wish. It's you, love. Someday you'll decide you have other priorities than the mission, and everyone you work with, all the people you work for, they'll realize that you have a right to that decision. Gotta say, I'm looking forward to it."

Perhaps, Mathias thought, he was too.


	5. By the Chill Morning Light

Mathias drifted slowly back to awareness in the warmth of their bed. He had an arm wrapped about Flynn's large frame, tucked over his waist, with the length of his body pressed close to his husband's back. There was nothing they had to do and nowhere either of them had to be. He let his eyes open just a crack, still sleepy, in contrast to his every working morning where he woke and was done with it, like it or not. This slow, lazy rise to consciousness felt good, and the quiet sound of Flynn's breathing was comforting in the dim light of their bedroom.

The fire had been well-banked last night when they finally went to bed, and the last heat of it still lingered in the room, not quite banished by the late winter chill. It was well past dawn, but morning still, by the angle of the light. The gradual clearing of his mind left him increasingly aware that he was hard and aroused, and that Flynn felt wonderful against him. He smelled good; his skin held a hint of sweat and the lingering traces of their lovemaking last night. Mathias had never quite believed there was a difference between sex and making love before Flynn but, when they were together, so often it was as much or more about the love they felt for each other as it was about the physical relief of an erotic urge.

Even the morning after, there were sense memories, shadows of the passage of Flynn's fingers on his skin. He cherished the slight ache left behind by Flynn's fingernails on his shoulders like a holy relic. The contact of their naked skin beneath the covers seemed a sort of covenant between them, a testament to their safety here, and their trust. At home in the city he'd have slept at least in pants, because the chance of some emergency at the door was far too high. Mathias pressed his groin to Flynn's buttocks with a quiet, contented sigh, stretching a little as he did so. He nuzzled at the nape of his husband's neck and nibbled, his arm tightening around Flynn's waist.

Flynn made a quiet sound, stirring slightly. His hand covered Mathais's and he settled again. Mathias chuckled, soft in the morning silence of the house, and nibbled at Flynn's ear, pressing his hips a little more insistently this time. "Mmmm."

"Morning," Mathias murmured.

Flynn shifted, still mostly asleep. "Mmm'thias." His voice rumbled, low and rough with sleep.

He pressed against Flynn again, his hand moving slowly down Flynn's body from his waist. "Wake up."

"M'on shore leave," Flynn slurred. Mathias nibbled at his earlobe. "Tickles." He stuck his tongue in Flynn's ear. "Urgh, all right, you louse, 'm awake." Flynn's fingers threaded with his and the man stretched.

He wriggled against Flynn, the heat of his cock slipping between the man's cheeks. "When you're actually awake and not just saying so, sex would be nice."

Flynn made a deeply approving noise and flopped over onto his stomach. "Run up the pennants, and bugger me, love. I swear, there will be no complaints from this corner."

"Lazy." Mathias sucked on his earlobe and Flynn sighed a happy sigh.

"Yep. An absolute jellyfish." 

Mathias nibbled his way down Flynn's neck and the man shivered. "Your participation would be greatly appreciated."

"Mmmm. My appreciation _is_ my participation, love. You're the one who woke me up. You do your part, I'll do mine."

Mathias huffed a laugh against the nape of Flynn's neck, rolling atop him to cover him with his body. He settled between Flynn's open thighs. "And what exactly would those parts be?" He already knew the answer, of course.

The motion of Flynn's hips reminded Mathias of exactly where they were. "Your part involves your lovely mainmast in my very willing ass. Mine is to come like an exceedingly appreciative fountain once enough of it has been applied to the situation." He wriggled up against Mathias again. "Unless you'd rather just lie there."

That drew a sharp, genuine laugh from him and he wrapped both arms around Flynn's chest. "You're ridiculous. Why are you like this?"

"Because it makes you laugh." Flynn's voice was smug. "And I love it when you laugh. You don't do it nearly enough."

"All right, you win, but I'm setting the pace no matter how much you beg for more." Mathias loosed his hands from under Flynn's body and reached over to the table next to the bed for the pot of slick they'd left there last night; he grabbed the more or less clean towel while he was at it. He knew his words weren't exactly a threat where Flynn was concerned.

"Oh, yes, make me beg," Flynn purred. "You know I love it when you go slow." His hands dragged over the sheets and he tucked them under his pillow, finally opening one eye and looking up at Mathias. He dropped a kiss on Flynn's lips and slid his fingers between his husband's cheeks, teasing at the tight furl of muscle there. Flynn's eye slid closed. "Like that, yes." Flynn sighed.

He pressed a finger inside, his body resting over Flynn's, appreciating the happy, aroused sound he made. Flynn took it easily, as he was still relaxed from sleep, and from last night. His hips arched up slightly to meet Mathias's slow inward pressure. He whispered "I love you" into Flynn's ear and the sound his husband made as he tightened around Mathias's finger sent a shiver through him. It ached in his chest and made his hard cock grow even more so.

He slid a second finger in beside the first and Flynn's quiet gasp became a moan. "More, please." His voice was low and needy and it burrowed into Mathias like smoke into his lungs. "Feels good."

"Do you think you can take me yet?" Mathias purred into Flynn's ear and twisted his fingers inside him and Flynn gasped again, his back arching in pleasure.

"Fuck, yes," Flynn growled, sounding very much more awake than he had when Mathias began. Slipping his fingers slowly out of Flynn's body, he slicked himself up and wiped the rest on the towel, then guided his hard shaft into the tight heat of his husband's body. Flynn moaned at the delicious press inward, and Mathias rested a hand near his shoulder, fisting his other into long, auburn hair. Flynn's moan sharpened and got louder. "Oh, like that," he groaned; his legs spread further and Mathias sunk into him, deep and slow. "You always feel _so_ good." He writhed slowly under Mathias, their bodies moving together in mutual desire.

Mathias's breathing grew harsh as he thrust in a slow, steady rhythm. "You've always been _very_ clear about what you like," he breathed into Flynn's ear. His love shuddered beneath him. "I'd have to be ignoring you completely to do badly at this for you." He tugged at Flynn's hair and the man shivered, a broken whimper escaping his lips.

"Not--" Flynn gasped again as Mathias thrust a little harder and ground down into him, the friction delicious on his shaft. "Not just that. Just… oh Tides, when you touch me it's…" Mathias nipped and kissed his way from Flynn's ear down to his shoulder and Flynn arched up into the thrust. "Everything you do to me is just right." His voice broke and he moaned again, digging his fingers into the pillow as Mathias moved slowly inside him.

"That feeling is very," he rocked his hips, "very mutual." With his fist in Flynn's hair he kissed the man deeply, both of them moaning into it as their tongues slid together and caressed. Flynn's body beneath him was hot and perfect, flesh against flesh as they sank into pure pleasure together. He let go of his handful of hair and slid both arms under his husband's chest to tuck his hands over his shoulders, holding on as he thrust deeper and harder into the willing heat of Flynn's body. He kept the pace slow and blissful, losing track of time as they moved in the quiet, rhythmic dance of their lovemaking.

Finally, Flynn's desperation was too much, his soft, whimpering pleas to let him come breaking Mathias's composure. They were both so close to the edge, his cock aching with his need as Flynn's body tightened around him. He shifted his weight and tugged Flynn up onto his knees, his shoulders still braced against the bed, and held his hips as he started to thrust harder and faster. With a gasp, Flynn reached under himself and began stroking frantically as Mathias fucked him, the wet slap of their sweating skin and their harsh breathing sounding loud in the quiet of the room. 

Flynn shuddered and cried out, his body jerking under Mathias's hands as he came, his voice nearly sobbing his release. Mathias fucked him through it, slowing, but not stopping, driving himself into Flynn's tight, spasming heat. As Flynn's pleasure subsided, Mathias's crested and broke through, and he wrapped himself around his husband's body with both arms as he shuddered through his own orgasm, breath ragged and gasping as he slammed into Flynn's body for the last few, deep thrusts.

Both of them slumped to the mattress, gasping together, muscles trembling with the intensity of their finish. Neither of them moved until Mathias's cock softened and slipped from Flynn's body, leaving a slick trail behind; they shifted awkwardly until they were face to face, holding each other close, legs tangled together, their sweat cooling in the room's slowly gathering chill.

Flynn's fingers brushed Mathias's hair from his eyes, a soft, gentle caress of still-trembling fingers. "That was _so_ good," he breathed.

"Mmm, it was," Mathias murmured, gazing into his blue-grey eyes. "You hardly said a word."

Flynn nodded. "Was... intense." He still hadn't quite caught his breath. 

Mathias kissed him, slow and sweet, before he sucked on Flynn's bottom lip. He took Flynn's face in his hands. "I'm so lucky to have you," he whispered.

Flynn's eyes were suspiciously damp as he tugged Mathias into a tight, desperate hug. 

*** 

After they had their morning shower, they cleaned the place up and dealt with laundry, hanging things that they knew wouldn't be dry before it was time to leave. Packing their things, they left their bag at the cabin and went down into Lakeshire for lunch. Brianna, the innkeeper, smiled when she saw them, and came over to their table.

"I'm sorry about the misunderstanding yesterday," she said to Mathias, cheerful but quiet. "I, ah, heard from one of the guards who you really are. I know you're just here for some peace outside of Stormwind and, from the sound of it, you'll probably be back now and then. Nobody'll bother you here, I can promise you that, Master Shaw."

He hesitated for a moment before he replied. "Just Mathias," he said. "If anyone asks, it's Mathias Fairwind. For privacy's sake, you understand."

She nodded. "Of course, Mathias."

Flynn's hand tangled with his under the table, but his husband said nothing until they'd ordered their lunch and Brianna went to the kitchen. "I thought you'd be shut of that as soon as they figured it out," he said, a puzzled look on his face.

Mathias shrugged, not letting go of Flynn's hand. "I decided I kind of liked it. Not just as a cover story, but because it reminds me that I don't always have to be at work. I don't always have to be Spymaster Shaw. Sometimes, maybe, I can just be your husband."

Flynn's grin lit his face like the sun.


End file.
